


The Thief

by emptypizzaboxes



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-04
Updated: 2016-06-04
Packaged: 2018-07-12 04:24:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7085584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emptypizzaboxes/pseuds/emptypizzaboxes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the song 'The Thief' by Relient K.</p><p>Kozmotis Pitchiner is the owner of the custom nightlight company Pitch Black. He has been married to Jackson Overland-Pitchiner for three happy years now, and with both him and Jack at high points in their careers, things couldn't be better! </p><p>Their marriage is going great. </p><p>Things are good and Jack isn't cheating on Koz.... </p><p>..right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Thief

**A THIEF** is defined by their ability to creep their way past tightly interlocked hearts and wedge itself into the small crevices created by doubts and fears and widen the gaps until they are gaping wounds beyond salvation.

A thief need not be a person, for the phantom of fear can play its targets just as well as a human's hands can, if not better.

While hands would need tools to reach into a person's heart, fear can effortlessly reach out and twist its targets' hearts and minds until its desire for despair is sated.

_Oh and how **voracious** these thieves can be._

 

_-_

 

  
_For a time I thought there was a thief among us..._

-

Kozmotis Pitchiner sighed as he rifled through a handful of files from the mountain of reports on his black, marble desk. He was stuck working late at the office yet again; as the owner of the Pitch Black Co., he felt it was unfair that he be the last one to leave the building every day. When people talked about being the boss, they always spoke of the perks, of how great it was to have people at your disposal all day, and the invigorating feeling that came with knowing they had so much power over their employees' lives. Really, all Kozmotis could feel at the moment was the pounding in his head and the soreness in his back from sitting in the same position since 7 o'clock, when everyone else had trickled out of the building like normal people. Groaning as he stretched, Kozmotis glanced at the time displayed on his monitor. 12:47 AM, Great. He forced himself to think of the man waiting for him at home, pushing the memory of his Jack's mischievous grin to the forefront of his mind. Kozmotis smiled gently to himself- if anything had the power to lift his spirits, it was the thought of Jackson Overland.

'Overland-Pitchiner,' he reminded himself, grinning wearily.

They'd been married for three years now, and Kozmotis thought things were going great considering the increasingly lengthening periods of time that he'd go through without seeing Jack. The man he loved was his motivation, and part of the reason he'd been working so hard lately was so that he could spend all of September with Jack. He knew how much the younger man loved the cold and the snow and thought that a month-long vacation in Patagonia, Argentina during its winter months would be a great way of rewarding Jack for his patience with him through the chaos of the past year. With his company expanding from custom nightlights sold to the people of the U.S. and Mexico to proving light in dark nights to the whole world via the wonder that was the internet, Kozmotis found himself drowning in paperwork, and it certainly didn't help that the idiots that were his employees kept fucking things up and he had to pick up their messes. He was just one man for fuck's sake!

Kozmotis took a deep breath to settle himself and rubbed at his temples in an attempt to keep his headache at bay. He stood, muttering a string of curses at the sudden burst of pain in his foot. 'Damn desk,' he cursed, gathering his things and heading towards the elevator. The chime of the elevator music that accompanied him from the top floor to the lobby wasn't doing him any favors either.

At the elevator's ding, the tall man stepped out into the lobby, the satchel slung across his chest bouncing against his hip with every step. The gentleman at the desk looked up with a tired smile, "Off so late again, Sir?"

Kozmotis attempted to return the expression, though he's sure it looked more like a pained grimace, "Afraid so," he paused, "You know you don't have to wait for me to leave to go home, Gep, I can close up the office just fine."

"Nonsense," the older man chuckled, "You don't leave until the boss leaves, that's the way things worked back in my day, and so that is how I work in these days."

Kozmotis smiled truly now, "We need to sit and catch up one of these days. Tell me, how have you been doing lately?" He rested against the desk as the elder's wizened hands began to pack up for the day.

"Good, good. My boy Pinocchio just graduated from college. My wife and I couldn't be prouder," it was true, pride shone in the man's eyes as he spoke of his only child, "What about you, how's marriage treating you, lad?"

"Great, things have been... great," Kozmotis trailed off and hesitated, "Honestly, Gep, things have been a little strained. Only a bit, though, and I understand because, well, part of that is my fault for throwing myself into the job like this and to add to that Jack's art is really starting to gain the attention it deserves, which is great, but we barely see each other anymore, and I just don't want to end up pushing him away an-"

Geppetto cut him off with a kind smile, "You're rambling, lad."

Kozmotis straightened himself with a cough, "Apologies."

"Now, there's no need for that. Now you tell me, slowly and coherently please for I have grown hard of hearing in my dotage, how are you?"

The younger man sighed loudly and said, frowning, "I'm worried."

"And what is it that worries you, dear boy?"

"I...I do not doubt Jack's commitment to me, not for a heartbeat, but I do worry that I might end up pushing him away. I worry that I am already in the process of doing so, even though I'm simply trying to do the best that I can by him," Kozmotis explained, his frown deepening as he spoke the fears that had been gnawing at his insides for months now.

The older man hummed. "You know, when my Rose and I were newly wedded and all we had to our name was a tattered couch and the pennies lost in it, I feared the same thing. I used to tell myself that I didn't deserve her; that she could do so much better than a man with no grand ambitions," the gentleman chuckled, eyes warm with fondness at the memory, "She slapped me over the head and told me to respect her decision to love me."

"Because you see, as irrational as it may seem at times, love is very much a choice and it's been a long time since I dared to question my wife's choices. As you can see, lad, we're still going strong after so many decades together, so perhaps there has been some wisdom in that, yes? My point is- and yes I see your impatient look and you're already late as it is, ten minutes won't save you from a night on the couch at this point; I can tell you that much- you have to respect his choice to love you. You have trust that he will continue to choose you, Kozmotis. It also wouldn't kill you to live in the present a little; you're spending too much time worrying about a future that isn't even guaranteed. Why, I remember when my boy was going through his lying phase as if it were just yesterday," Geppetto smiled nostalgically, "Some days he calls, "Pop?" and I turn expecting to be met with a six year old boy running in from the yard, trailing in mud and blaming it on the dog, and instead I am met with the sight of the honest man my son has become. I too was worried back then, you see, about doing right by him. How would I go about getting him the education he deserved when I had barely anything to my name? Yet he was only six, and I missed many nightmares and the loss of many baby teeth while I worried about a future that was twelve unpredictable years away." The old man shook his silver head, as if internally reprimanding himself for his mistakes, "Now go, I'm sure your husband misses you as much as you miss him."

"I-," Kozmotis floundered for words, "Thank you, Geppetto."

"Always, lad, always."

-

Kozmotis was having a very hard time restraining himself from tearing through the streets of Burgess at the fastest speed his car could go. He didn't think Jack would appreciate him wreaking havoc in his home town. Geppetto's words lingered in Kozmotis' thoughts. The old man was right, of course. Jack loved him and he loved Jack, and as long as they continued to choose each other, everything would be alright. His lips twitched up into a fond smile that remained throughout the drive home along with a warm contentedness in his chest.

Until he turned onto his home's driveway and was met with the sight of a bright red, heavy duty truck that most definitely was neither his nor Jack's.

His expression fell into a scowl as he stalked towards the front door.

With shaking hands, Kozmotis unlocked the door and walked towards their bedroom. He couldn't believe the gall of it all! To bring a lover into his home, into his bed! He silently made his way up to their bedroom, heart breaking into a million fragments all the way up the spiral stairs. He stopped at the door, putting off the inevitable. He loved Jack with every fiber of his being, and perhaps he could forgive him this slight, he'd just have to take care of the other guy first. With that, Kozmotis readied himself to tear open the door when he heard it, a delicate voice stammering words through a curtain of sobs.

In the whirl of his thoughts, Kozmotis almost missed it. He almost missed the words that made it past the room to his ears.

"I just don't know what to do, North," the voice said, "I love him with everything I've got, but it just doesn't make sense that he'd stay so long at the office. He owns the company, d-damnit! He has employees that he could ask to stay late if the workload is really so he-heavy."

There was a pause, then more stuttering and soft murmurs that were dripping with reassurance. Kozmotis leaned against the oak door that separated him from his Jack. He'd made a mess of things, he could see that now. And to think he'd been about to tear into their room and accuse his love of the worst things. He slid to the floor silently and listened.

"...I think he's cheating on me, North," he heard Jack say, and Kozmotis' breath hitched.

"What?! Why would he be doing that?"

"I-it's just, he's always late an-and he's done it before! And yeah it was only o-once and we were technically not together at the time, but still!"

Kozmotis groaned internally, berating himself for not being considerate enough as his thoughts turned towards the regret he kept close to his heart, a reminder of the consequences his actions could lead to. Jack had been in the middle of an identity crisis, his state of mind had been extremely fragile and really Kozmotis should have known better than to leave him alone. He should have stayed, shouldn't have worried so selfishly about his own carrier. He still couldn't believe he'd allowed his parents to poison his mind to the point where he'd abandoned the love of his life in such a delicate state.

His love still had the scars from that night etched into his porcelain skin.

Evidently nothing had changed since then, Kozmotis was still an unobservant fool undeserving of someone as wonderful as Jack.

Kozmotis had fallen into another man's bed, that was something he'd never forgive himself for, and now, after going through great lengths to win back his Jack, Kozmotis was pushing him into another man's arms.

 **He** should be the one in there, talking it out with Jack, consoling him and apologizing for being such an ignorant fool.

"I must be going now, Jack," he heard this 'North' say softly, "It's late and the wife will be being mad as it is. Unless you need me to remain?"

He heard Jack sniff and could picture him wiping his tears away with the sleeves of his hoodie as he spoke, "No, no, that's okay North. Koz should be home soon anyway. Thank you, for listening and please apologize to Tooth for me. I can't believe I kept you this late, God, what time is it?"

"Nearing three in the morning now. Well, I'll be seeing you," the man's heavy footsteps paused at the door and Kozmotis scrambled out of the way, standing and leaning against the wall left of the door, "And do not be hesitating to call if you need me, Jack."

"Thanks, North."

"Not a problem," North opened the door and said lastly, "After all, what are friends for, eh?"

The man stepped through the door and paused when he noticed Kozmotis standing there. He nodded in greeting and stepped past him. Kozmotis watched him walk away and when he turned back, Jack was there, staring at him with glistening red-rimmed blue eyes.

They stood in silence for a moment before Jack asked, "How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough."

Jack nodded, chewing on his lower lip. He took a deep breath before saying, "Please tell me I was just babbling nonsense and that none of it is of any true substance."

Kozmotis shook his head, "I can't do that, love."

"Oh no," Jack gasped his hands clutched to his chest as tears welled in his eyes anew, "Why, Koz? What did I wrong?"

"No, no it's what you think," Kozmotis hurried to reassure him, rushing forwards and enveloping his husband in his arms, "That's not what I meant at all, no! I meant that you were right when you called me an idiot, evidently. God, no, Jack. I'd never do that to you. That's not a mistake I'd make twice."

"Then what are you doing when you say you're at the office so late?"

"I'm at the office when I say that, I swear."

"Everyday?"

"Yes," Kozmotis paused in the shower of kisses he was bestowing upon Jack's snow-white hair, "I can have Geppetto come over and assure you, he stays at the office until I leave."

"No," Jack chuckled through his sniffles, "No that man does enough by making sure you take care of yourself when I can't be there do so."

"I'm so sorry, Jack."

"For what? You have nothing to apologize for, if anything you should be livid that I'd accuse of something like that when you've been absolutely committed to us," Jack said, tilting his head up and shifting the destination of Kozmotis' kisses.

The taller man paused in his barrage and said slowly, "I... may have assumed similarly when I came home to a foreign car in our driveway."

There was silence for a minute as Jack and Kozmotis stared at each other, the latter's face flushing red in shame as the younger man blinked in surprise.

The silence was broken by their sudden laughter, both men leaning into each other as they realized how ridiculous the whole situation was.

"I believe in you," Jack whispered softly against Kozmotis' chest. And that was all that mattered wasn't it? That he chose Jack and Jack chose him, and that they were happy with their choices. Kozmotis lips stretched into a small, loving smile that existed for Jack and only Jack.

"And I in you, darling," Kozmotis promised, the gold of his eyes softening into honey,

 

_"Always."_

 

-

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Yeah I was feeling the BlackIce feelies.
> 
> There's this coffeeshop au fic on ao3 that uses Artist!Jack and in this fic Jack dyes his hair white and signs his artwork as Jack Frost so ya that's where I got the artist thing from even if I didn't specify.
> 
> This was kinda edited?
> 
> I posted this on Wattpad as well but that one will be multi chaptered and will include other ships. 
> 
> Comments are always welcome and I'll see you little thieves in the next chapter of Scattered Petals, or maybe of Fast Times, or maybe of In Live With a Criminal (on WATTPAD).
> 
> -xoxo
> 
> Taco!/Empty! 
> 
> (YES I POST STUFF ON WATTPAD TOO UNDER TACOMAGIC PLS CHECK IT OUT?)


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